HermesLookup - How to remove

HermesLookup is a macOS infection. It changes browser and network settings to fill your screen with pop-up ads, redirects, and promoted links. Likely, HermesLookup was downloaded together with other malicious apps that have their own issues. To remove HermesLookup and the other malware might require the help of a real anti-malware application. You will also need to review some system settings to make sure that HermesLookup won’t cause any more issues.

Details on HermesLookup malware:

Type of threat	Trojan, adware, browser hijacker.
Problems with HermesLookup	Causes network problems, breaks online apps, fills the browser with advertisements.
How to remove malware	Use antivirus apps (like Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, and others) to find and delete malicious apps, remove the malware manually.
How to clean up after HermesLookup	Restore network settings and remove suspicious login items, block malicious websites with an ad-blocker or an anti-malware app.

HermesLookup Malware

HermesLookup is just one of many similar malicious apps that attack macOS computers. It is much like CentralLocator, StockCommon, and many others.

It gets downloaded with dangerous programs that are disguised as safe. For example, with fake Flash updates. Ads for these fake updates appear on infected sites and sites that are willing to show malicious ads.

HermesLookup often comes with some fake antivirus and optimizer apps, such as MacShiny or ManClean360. These scareware apps then scan your Mac and find a ton of problems with it, but then require you to buy the premium versions of these apps to remove the “problems”.

HermesLookup gets installed at the same time and it causes some different issues:

• Online apps (email, app store, iTunes) and some websites might fail to open. In fact, your internet connection might be slow or even drop sometimes. If this happens, then HermesLookup must have messed with your network settings. Instructions fox fixing this are in the next section.
• Your browser might freeze if you use it for a long time. It might not recover until you reboot your Mac.
• The browser’s new tab and search settings are changed by HermesLookup.
• Redirects and pop-up ads appear on your screen. HermesLookup has access to all of the websites that you visit, it can inject ads.
• System pop-ups ask you to give HermesLookup access to your traffic.

HermesLookup has two goals: to stay installed for as long as possible and to manipulate your browser to show you more advertisements.

How to remove HermesLookup

Automatic removal

It might not just be HermesLookup that you need to remove, but other hijackers, as well as some dubious Mac optimizers or fake antivirus apps. The way that HermesLookup spreads online can result in multiple infections at once.

The best tools for malware removal are genuine anti-malware apps, such as Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes. They can detect malware like HermesLookup and remove it for you.

In addition, you might need to boot your Mac in safe mode, which blocks some third-party apps from running. You can enter safe mode by holding down the Shift button on your keyboard while booting your Mac. You’ll know it worked when the words “Safe Boot” appear on your screen.

Manually delete suspicious files

If you wish to remove HermesLookup manually, then you should open the Finder app and navigate to these folders:

• /Library/LaunchDaemons
• /Library/Application Support
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents
• ~/Library/Application Support

You can reach them by using the Go to Folder window found in Finder’s Go menu. Then, look for files with “HermesLookup” in their names and delete them. Additionally, look for other suspicious files that your anti-malware program might have flagged, such as CapitalCharacterSearch, UniversalWebResults, and others.

Remove the HermesLookup app (drag it to Trash) and browser extension (instructions below), as well as other suspicious apps.

Additional settings

HermesLookup creates configuration profiles for controlling some of your Mac’s settings. These can be found in System Preferences -> Profiles. Select and remove the HermesLookup profiles by pressing the minus ‘-‘ button.

Also, in System Preferences -> Users & Groups -> Login Items, look for programs and files that you did not add and that you don’t want to be opened whenever you start your Mac. Select and remove them.

If you are having issues with websites and online apps, then an incorrect proxy might have been set on your Mac by HermesLookup. Go to System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced -> Proxies and deselect SOCKS if it is selected. Then click Apply.

If you fixed these settings without removing HermesLookup first, then they could revert the next time you turn on your Mac. It would be a sign that the infection hasn’t been completely removed yet.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove unwanted browser extensions

How to remove HermesLookup from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall HermesLookup and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to HermesLookup, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

TopHow to remove HermesLookup from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find HermesLookup on the extensions list and click on the recycle bin icon next to it.
• Click on 'Chrome' button at the top left corner. Select 'Preferences' on a drop-down menu box.
• Find 'Search' options on Settings tab. If your search engine is changed, click 'Manage Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• On the same page find 'Show home button' checkbox and change your homepage.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to HermesLookup, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• On the 'Preferences' menu window, scroll down to the bottom and find 'Reset settings' button. Click it.
• Confirm your selection and click 'Reset' on the following window.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program. Top

How To remove HermesLookup from Firefox on Mac OS:

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press cmd+Shift+A on your keyboard).
• Go through Extensions list, remove everything HermesLookup related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
• Enter “about:preferences” in URL bar and hit enter.
• Open Search settings tab.
• If your search engine is changed, click 'Default Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Preferences-> General. Enter a preferable URL to the home page field.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to HermesLookup, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.